Research Labs

The broad focus of our group is quantum open systems at the nanoscale, particularly the generation of correlation between particles in such systems. Fundamental interest in nanophysics — the physics of small, nanometer scale, bits of solid — stems from the ability to control and probe systems on length scales larger than atoms but small enough that the averaging inherent in bulk properties has not yet occurred.

The Behringer Lab researches aspects of granular and fluid flows. The moniker for the group is "LTB" which stands for Low Temperature Behringer, a remnant of the liquid helium days. Our current focus is on granular studies and thin film flows.

The Buchler Lab is interested in the systems biology and evolution of epigenetic switches (bistability) and clocks (oscillators) in gene regulatory networks. We use experiment and theory, biology and physics, systems and synthetic biology to study the cell cycle, metabolic rhythms, and circadian clocks. How do oscillators with different frequencies co-exist in the same cell? Are there mechanisms and regulatory principles that ensure functional harmony between oscillators?

The Center for Theoretical and Mathematical Science at Duke addresses these opportunities for theoretical collaboration by building an open community of scholars practicing scientific research of a predominantly theoretical and mathematical nature who are interested in applying their skills beyond the traditional confines of their discipline and/or in collaborating with scientists from other disciplines. The Center provides a venue for Duke faculty and students to learn about progress in the theoretical and mathematical sciences through Lectures (“Adventures in Theory”), hosting expert visitors, and by sponsoring focused workshops on trans-disciplinary topics.

The Charbonneau Group pursues frontier research in soft matter using simulation and theory. We tackle questions ranging from the molecular to the colloidal scale, such as the glass problem, protein crystallization, and micron- and nano-scale particle assembly.

The COHERENT collaboration aims to measure CEvNS (Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering) using the high-quality pion-decay-at-rest neutrino source at the Spallation Neutron Source in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The SNS provides an intense flux of neutrinos in the few tens-of-MeV range, with a sharply-pulsed timing structure that is beneficial for background rejection. The CEvNS process is cleanly predicted in the Standard Model and its measurement provides a Standard Model test; furthermore, the process is involved in supernova explosion processes and supernova neutrino detection. It also represents a background floor for dark matter direct detection. In the long term, precision measurement of CEvNS will address questions of nuclear structure. We aim to deploy multiple detector technologies in a phased approach.

ATLAS is an experiment to search for the origin of mass and to study beyond the standard model. The experiment utilizes LHC (Large Hadron Collider) at CERN (European Center for Nuclear Research). Duke's main contribution for the experiment was to construct a part of the ATLAS detector, namely the Transition Radiation Tracker (TRT).

Duke Mu2e is a high priority experiment at FNAL and its purpose is to search for charged lepton flavor violation with unprecedented sensitivity. We will measure the ratio of the coherent neutrinoless conversion in the field of a nucleus of a negatively charged muon into an electron to the muon capture process: Rμe = (μ- +A(Z,N) → e - +A(Z,N))/(μ- +A(Z,N) →νμ +A(Z-1,N)) with a sensitivity Rμe < 6x10-17 at 90% CL. This is almost a four orders-of-magnitude improvement over the existing limit. The observation of such a process would be unambiguous evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model.

The Duke Neutrino Group was established in 2004. Kate Scholberg and Chris Walter began a neutrino physics program as part of the Duke High Energy Group, based primarily on research with the Super-Kamiokande underground water Cherenkov experiment in Japan. The program includes research on neutrino oscillations and neutrino astrophysics with atmospheric, beam and supernova neutrinos, and searches for proton decay.

The Finkelstein Group studies electrical properties of carbon nanotubes, nanowires and graphene, as well as efficient methods to assemble nanoscale structures based on self-assembled DNA templates. Recently our work has focused on the interplay between superconductivity and ballistic transport phenomena in graphene heterostructures.

Our research is mainly focused at investigating the emergent critical behavior in correlated electron systems, particularly frustrated quantum spin compounds and high temperature superconductors. We leverage the immense existing knowledge of materials and their various properties to tailor new materials that are a blend of the desired characteristics of the known. After we identify and synthesis new compounds in our labs we probe various static and dynamic characteristics of the resulting materials – such as crystal and magnetic structures, spin and lattice excitations, chemical doping, field- and pressure-induced phase transitions, etc. We pursue such studies by conducting x-ray and neutron scattering studies at the leading national and international facilities, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology as well as the National High Magnet Field laboratory.

The Mikkelsen lab is a multidisciplinary research team studying spin dynamics and photonics at the nanoscale using ultrafast spectroscopy. Our research spans the areas of spintronics, quantum information science, nanophotonics, plasmonics, and quantum optics. The group is jointly residing in the department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and the department of Physics at Duke University.

Our laboratory is involved in a diverse set of research projects in the areas of quantum optics, control and synchronization of chaos in optical and electronic systems, and characterizing and controlling the dynamics of biological systems.